Molding and pressing machine.



J. H. BEERY.

MOLDINGAND PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mu) MAR. 20. 1914.

1,137,377. Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

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J. H. BEERY.

MOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1914.

1,1 37,377. P tented Apr. 27, 1915.

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J. H. BEERY MOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1914.

1,137,377. Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

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Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

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JOHN H. BEERY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, AS

ONE-FOURTH TO PLINY M. GALE, Al ONE-FOURTH TO CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO H. A. BOXILL,

VANCE TOIVLER, ALL OF MOLDING AND PRESSING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

Application filed March 20, 1914. Serial No. 826,045.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN H. Bunny, a citizenof the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clarkand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvcr inMolding and Pressing Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full. clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to machines for molding granular materials, morepa ticularly edible granular materials mixed with a suitable substancesuch as melted butter, syrup or the like, which acts as a binder for themolded granular edible. This edible may be nuts, a breakfast food,popcorn or any other relatively dry edible material in grains, smallparticles or lumps or flakes.

I will describe my machine used in making popcorn fritters, composed ofpop corn and a crisp syrup as a binder.

Among the more important objects of the invention are increase ofeliicic-ncy, speed, compactness. ample strength of parts, quietness ofoperation, and reduction of power necessary for operating machines ofthis class at high speed.

The binding agent, used in the making of the fritters. quicklycrystallizes and becomes brittle after hardening. and if the fritter isallowed to harden in the mold. it will be broken or damaged by theimpact of the ejector plunger when the latter strikes the frittcr inremoving it from the mold.

An important feature of the invention is in the provision of means forejecting the pressed fritter from the mold as soon as possible after thematerial has been pressed.

Another feature of the invention is in the provision of means for sotiming the work ing periods of the ejector and press plungers that whenthe motive power is being used for actuating the ejector plungcrs, thepress plungers are being moved into working position and the powernecessary for the pressing operation is not brought into use until theejector plunger has ceased to work.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing an endless seriesof mold sections having an intermittent movement and in which the molds.when in position for receiving the material to be molded, form aperfectly smooth and unbroken surface from which the material may bewiped or pushed into the forms; the abutting edges of the mold sectionsare so formed that they automatically dispose of any material that mayaccidentally lodge between the edges during the orbit of the moldsections.

The manner in which the various objects are attained will be understoodreadily from the following description in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which is illustrated the preferred form of theinvention.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a side eleation of the machine, a portion ofthe frame being broken away to show certain parts. Fig. 2 is a righthand end elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machineon an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal verticalsection of the discharge end of the machine showing the ejectormechanism. Fig. 5 is a transverse \ertical section taken at right anglesto Fig. at. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is anenlarged detail view of the mold driving mechanism. Fig. 8 is a likeview of the machanism for periodically unlocking the molds. Fig. 9 is aperspective view of one of the mold sections, and Fig. 10 is aperspective of part of the plunger actuating mechanism;

Referring in detail to the construction illustrated, 1 designates atable over which the molds travel. The table forms the mold bottoms, andcooperates with the press plungers to compress the fritters. The table 1is mounted between two lateral frames 2 at the top of the latter; andbetween said frames beneath the table near the right hand end thereof isa transverse support 3 formed with two standards 4. in which isjournaled a power shaft This shaft is driven in any suitable manner, asby the motor 6 mounted between the frames 2 and connected up to thepower shaft through a speed reducing mechanism '7, of any suitable type,provided with a driving sprocket wheel 8 which is connected by a drivechain 9 to a sprocket wheel 10. on the power shaft 5.

The intermittently traveling endless mold consists of a plurality ofsections 11 flexibly connected together to form an endless chain whichis mounted on rotatable supports 12, 13, fixed on shaft 14:, 15,respectively. The shafts are journaled at opposite ends of the table inblocks 16, which are slidably mounted in horizontal ways 17 and areadjustable longitudinally of the table by means of adjusting screws 18working in the ends of the Ways.

The rotatable supports 12, 13, are polygonal in form, preferablyoctagonal, as shown. The sides 19 of said supports form straight or flatbearings for the sides 20 of the mold sections 11, (Fig. 9), and areprovided with lateral flanges 21, (Fig. 4).

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the bearings 19, in revolving move throughslots 22 in the ends of the table 1 and into the horizontal plane of thetop of the table, while the lateral flanges 21 project above said plane.

Movement is imparted to the endless mold chain by the carrier 13, theshaft 15 of which is driven by the means hereinafter described. Inaddition to the bearings 19, which operate as driving elements, eachmold section 11 has laterally projecting pins 22 (Fig. 9), projectingfrom the center of the sides 20 near the lower edges thereof. These pinstake into notches 23 formed in the upper edges of the lateral flanges 21when the mold section rests on the bearings 19.

The means for intermittently driving the shaft 15, that carries therotatable support 13, consists of a crank disk 24, fixed on one end ofthe power shaft 5, said disk being provided with an adjustable pitman 25which is hinged to a lever arm 26 pivoted on the shaft 15. The arm 26carries a spring urged pawl 27, (Fig. 7) which engages a ratchet wheel28 fixed on the shaft 15. The number of teeth in the ratchet wheel corresponds to the number of sides of the rotatable mold supports 12, 13, inthis embodiment eight being the number employed. One revolution of theshaft 5 will cause the crank disk 24 to move the arm 26, the shaft 15,and the support 13, one-eighth of a revo lution, thereby moving theendless mold a distance equal to the width of one mold section.

Means are provided for locking the mold support against movement duringthe upward movement of the arm 26 which movement brings the pawl 27 intoposition for engagement with the next tooth of the ratchet wheel 28. Itis during this upward movement, that the ejector and press plun gers aresuccessively operated to perform their respective functions, as will behereinafter described. The locking means comprises a disk 29 fixed onthe shaft 15, and provided with a series of peripheral notches 30, whichcorrespond in number to the number of teeth on the ratchet 28 and to thenumber of sides of the supports 12, 13. These notches are so positionedthat when the crank disk 24 and shaft 5 have moved 180 degrees, or ahalf revolution, and the ratchet 28 made an eighth of a revolution orone step, one of the notches 30 of the disk 29, i. e., the top notch, isengaged by the free end of a spring catch 31, mounted on the undersideof the table 1. The disk 29 and shaft 15 are thus locked againstrotation until the disk 24 has made the second half of its revolutionand returned the arm 26, with its pawl, into its extreme upper posi tionand into engagement with another tooth of the ratchet 28. Simultaneouslywith the movement of the arm 26 on its downward movement, the catch 31is operated to release the disk 29.

The catch releasing mechanism comprises an oscillatory two armed lever3233, pivoted on the shaft 15, and having its lower arm pivotallyconnected by an adjustable pitman 31 which is connected to a crank diskfixed on the end of the power shaft 5 opposite to that of the crank disk24. The upper arm 33 of the two armed lever extends to the periphery ofthe disk 29 and has formed on its free end a cam face 36 arranged toengage the free end of the spring catch 31, which, as shown in Fig. 5,extends over the arm 33. The movement of the releasing lever 3233 is sotimed that the cam 36 will be moved under the free end of the catch 31and will raise the latter out of a notch simultaneously with or a moment before the disk 29 is moved by the operation of the pawl andratchet mechanism above described. After the releasing lever has raisedthe catch 31, it is rocked from beneath the latter and during themovement of the disk 29, the free end of the catch rides on theperiphery of the disk between the notches.

lVhen the disk and its shaft 15 has been moved an eighth of a completerevolution the next notch will come under the catch, and the latter is,owing to the oscillation of the lever 32--33 by the crank disk 35, freeto engage said notch and lock the disk 29 and shal' t 15 against furthermovement until the pawl 27 has been again brought into operativeposition for rotating the ratchet.

The mechanism for operating the press plungers 37 comprises twostationary guide rods 38, which are mounted on the standards 4, andextending upwardly through the table 1 are connected at their upper endsby a cross brace A reciprocating plunger frame is composed of twohorizontal cross heads 40, 41. which have bearing sleeves 42,

slidably mounted on the guide rods 38, and

The crank pin of the disk 24 and the crank pin of the disk 85 are insuch angular relation to the main crank 45 that when the pin of disk 24is in position for operating the chain of molds 11, the press plungersare being raised by the crank 45, and when the latter is in position forlowering the plungers, the crank pin of disk 24 will have moved out ofits operative position and the pin of disk 35 will have caused therelease of the latch and the molds will be locked.

The ejector plungers reciprocate at right angles to the movements of thepresser plungers and are operated on the downward movement of thereciprocating frame to eject the pressed articles in advance of thepressing action of the press plungers. Each ejector plunger consists ofa head 46 (Fig. 4) adjustably mounted on the outer threaded end portionof a rod 47 which has a slotted central portion 48 through which theshaft 15 projects. The inner portion of rod 47 is guided in a slot 49formec in the end of a bracket 50 depending from the table 1, and aspring 51 is connected to the bracket and rod to yieldingly hold thelatter in a retracted position, as shown in Fig. 4. The movement of therod by the spring is limited by an adjustable collar 52, on the rod,abutting against the lower end of bracket 50. To prevent the rod frommoving longitudinally of the shaft 15, a collar 53, (Fig. 6) is mountedon said shaft on each side of the rod, and to permit a pivotal movementof the latter on the shaft in a horizontal plane the inner faces of thecollars 53 are beveled. The two ejector plungers are yieldingly held inparallel relation and against the inner ends of the slots 49 by means ofa spring 54 which connects said rods together between the brackets 50and the shaft 15.

Adjustably connected to the side bars 43 about midway between the crossheads 40, 41, is a cross member 55 which carries two wedge-shapedmembers or cams 56. Each wedge is formed with a downwardly inclinedbearing face 57 (Fig. 4) adapted to engage an anti-friction roller 58 onthe inner end of the plunger rod 47, so as to move the latter outwardwhen the reciprocating frame moves downward. In each bearing face 57 isformed a longitudinal guide groove 59, (Fig. 6) the outer wall of whichis cut away at its lower end as indicated at 60, (Fig. 10) to permit theroller 58 to be drawn into the groove by the spring 54. The grooveserves to prevent lateral movement of the roller on the bearing face 57during the downward movement of the wedge. As the wedges pass below therods 47 the latter are suddenly retracted by the springs 51 and as therear ends of said rods project into the paths of the wedges, 56, asshown in Fig. 1, the tops of the latter are formed with outwardlybeveled edges 61 (Fig. 10). When the beveled edges 61 engage the rollersthe inner ends of the rods are moved apart, but are held against theouter sides of the wedges 56 by the tension of the spring 54. As soon asthe lower ends of the wedges 56 are raised above the rollers, the latterare drawn by the spring 54 onto the cut away portion 60 and into thegrooves 59. It will thus be seen that as the wedges 56 are moved withthe press plungers and in advance of the latter the ejecting plungersare actuated and eject the previously pressed material before the pressplungers have been lowered sufliciently to engage the unpressed materialin the molds. Consequently, the power used in the ejecting and pressingoperations is not utilized simultaneously, but successively.

Each mold section 11 is formed with one or more forming apertures 11 andhas its longitudinal edges 62 and the front and rear edges 63 of thesides 20 beveled or rounded toward the interior of the section so as toform sharp edges. \Vhen the mold sections are brought together the edgesof adjacent sections cooperate to cut or squeeze out any material thatmay have adhered to said edges during the period they were separated inmoving from the top of the table to the underside thereof. Strengtheningwebs 64 connect the top and sides of the mold at the inner edges of thebevels. The sides of the molds are rounded on the lower corners as shownat 65 to permit them to readily break joints when traveling on thesupports.

The mold sections are hinged together by links 66 pivotally connected tothe sides 20 midway between the upper and lower edges of the latter andby mounting the pins 22 in the center of the sides 20 and below thepoint where the links are connected to the sides the pull exerted on themold by the bearings 19 is divided between the pins and hinges.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Popcorn mixed withsufficient crisp syrup to hold it together, is dumped on top of the moldsections 11 filling the molds, which are free to move in accordance withthe functioning of the machine. The filled molds progress step by steptoward the press plungers 37, remain momentarily thereunder untilpressed by said plungers and are, dur ing the raising of the plungers,progressed step by step in front of the ejector plungers 46, theejertors operating during the idle movement of the plungers 37. Thedistance of travel from the pressers 37 to the e ectors 46 issufliciently short to eject the material before the binding agent inthis particular case, the sugar syrup, has set.

I claim- 1. In a molding and pressing machine, the combination with aseries of intermittently advancing molds, a plunger for pressingmaterial in the molds, and means for moving the plunger into and out ofthe molds, of a plunger for ejecting the pressed material from themolds, and means for moving the ejector plunger into and out of themolds during the advance of the press plunger.

2. In a molding and pressing machine, the combination with a series ofintermittently advancing molds, a plunger for pressing material in themolds, and means for moving the plunger into and out of the molds, of aplunger for ejecting the pressed material from the molds, and means formoving the ejector into and out of the molds during the advance of thepress plunger, and before the latter is brought into contact with thematerial to be pressed.

3. In a molding and pressing machine, a press plunger, a series ofintermittently advancing molds, a frame carrying the plunger, means toreciprocate the frame to move the plunger into and out of the molds, anejector plunger, and means on the frame to advance the latter into themolds.

4. In a molding and pressing machine, a press plunger, a series ofintermittently advancing molds, a frame carrying the plunger, means toreciprocate the frame to move the plunger into and out of the molds, anejector plunger, means on the frame to ad Vance the latter into themolds, and means independent of the advancing means to retract theejector plunger.

In a molding and pressing machine, a press plunger, a series ofintermittently advancing molds, a frame carrying the plunger, means toreciprocate the frame to move the plunger into and out of the molds, anejector plunger, means on the frame to advance the latter into themolds, and a spring to retract the ejector plunger after advancement.

6. In a molding and pressing machine, a series of intermittentlyadvancing molds, a plunger for pressing material in the molds, a framecarrying said plunger, means to reciprocate the frame to move theplunger into and out of the molds, an ejector plunger movable into andout of the molds, yielding means to hold the ejector plunger in a retractcd position, and means operable by the movement of the frame in onedirection to project the ejector plunger into the molds.

7. A molding and pressing machine comprising an endless chain of molds,rotatable supports therefor, a reciprocating frame, press plungersmounted thereon and movable into and out of the molds by the frame,ejector plungers operated from the frame, mechanism for moving the chainsupports intermittently, means for locking said sup ports againstrotation, mechanism for releasing the locking mechanism, a power shaftand means on the latter for reciprocating the frame, and for actuatingthe releasing and moving mechanisms.

8. In a molding and pressing machine, a reciprocating plunger frame,pivotally mounted reciprocating ejectors, wedgeshaped members on theframe arranged to engage the stems of the ejectors and advance thelatter during the movement of the frame in one direction, means toretract the ejectors into the return paths of said members, means on thelatter to swing the ejector stems on their pivots out of the paths ofthe wedge members and means to swing said stems into the paths of thewedges after the latter have passed the stem.

9. In a molding and pressing machine, an ejecting mechanism comprising apivoted ejecting member, means to advance the latter, means to returnthe advanced member, means to swing said member laterally, and means toreturn said member from its lateral position.

10. In a molding and pressing machine, an ejecting mechanism comprisinga pivoted plunger, means to advance the latter, means to return theadvanced plunger into the path of the advancing means, means on thelatter to swing the returned plunger out of the path of said advancingmeans, and means to swing the plunger into the path of said advancingmeans.

11. In a molding and pressing machine, an ejecting mechanism comprisinga reciprocable plunger, a reciprocable wedgeshaped member having abearing face arranged to engage the stem of the plunger to advance thelatter in one direction, means to retract the advanced plunger into thereturn path of said member, means on the latter to swing the plungerstem out of the path of the wedge-shaped member, and means to swing saidstem into the path of said member.

12. In a molding and pressing machine,

an ejecting mechanism comprising a pivoted, reciprocable plunger, areciprocable wedgeshaped member having a grooved bearing ace arranged toengage the stem of the plunger, and advance the latter in one direction,said groove having a cut-away portion to permit said stem to enter thegroove, means to retract the advanced plunger, a beveled face on saidmember to swing the plunger stem laterally, and a spring to return theplunger from its lateral position.

13. In a molding and pressing machine, an endless chain of contactingmold sections, links pivotally connected to the sides of said sectionsbetween the upper and lower edges of the sides, and laterally projectingpins in the sides near the lower edges of the latter, and polygonalrotatable supporting members having notches formed in their sides forengaging said pins.

14. In a molding and pressing machine, a table, polygonal rotatablesupports journaled at each end of the table, the sides of the supportsconstituting fiat bearing surfaces movable into the plane of the table,centrally notched lateral flanges on said bearing surfaces, an endlessmold comprising a series of sections fitting said bearing surfaces,links pivotally connected to the sides of said sections midway betweenthe upper and lower edges of the sides, pins projecting laterally fromsaid sides near the lower edges thereof between the links and adapted toengage the notches formed in said flanges.

15. In a molding and pressing machine, a table, polygonal rotatablesupports journaled at each end of the table, the sides of the supportsconstituting flat bearing surfaces movable into the plane of the table,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe centrally notched lateral flanges on said bearing surfaces, anendless mold comprising a series of sections fitting said bearingsurfaces, links pivotally connected to the sides of said sections midwaybetween the upper and lower edges of the sides, pins projectinglaterally from said sides near the lower edges thereof between the linksand adapted to engage the notches formed in said flanges, said sideshaving the lower portion of their edges rounded off to permit them tobreak joints when traveling on the supports.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. BEERY. lVitnesses:

ARTHUR J. TODD, H. CLAY DE VoY.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0.

